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Tech

All you need to know about Apple’s WWDC 2013

Three major developments in the recently concluded Apple WWDC at San Francisco will change the way we use our iDevices.
by Manik Kakra

Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) is a well-known developer conference, especially in the mobile space. Every year, Apple invites (a limited number, paid) developers to attend the event live in their building and get to meet the new Mac OS X and iOS versions, along with new hardware and other announcements, at times.

The first day of this year’s WWDC, which is always the most exciting one where they announce all the major bullet points, saw Apple showcasing some major additions and changes to its operating systems. Here are the biggest news stories that came out:

iOS-7-on-iPhone-4S-WWDC-2013The new iOS iteration – iOS7: As soon as Jony Ive was given the chief role of iOS, it was rumoured that the next version of iOS is going to be very different and the biggest change to come to the iOS. Indeed, it is. The new iOS is refreshingly different, and looks almost nothing like iOS6. Apple has gone away with a lot of traditional iOS palettes here. Apple has taken a lot of ‘inspiration’ from other OSes here.

First, there’s better multitasking where the OS itself identifies which are the apps that the users uses the most and which require to be available instantly from the multitasking view. Interestingly, the multitasking view (app switching page) looks a lot like WP’s, which was taken from webOS.

Secondly, iOS also has Control Center for all your device controls (like WiFi switch, brightness, and more), has now got translucency overlaying (what’s underneath it) for better context. You can swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen to bring up Control Center. Swipe down from the top of the screen to bring up Notification Center, which is also available from the lock screen, shows more details now, with its three tabs – Today, All and Missed.

iOS 7 also brings AirDrop to iPhone. With Airdrop, users can share files with other iOS users over WiFi network or Bluetooth. One critical feature added with iOS 7 is the Activation lock. Any time, if you lose your iDevice, you can remotely wipe off your data completely from the phone, using your Apple ID. Besides the icons with a new UI, this update brings several improvements like iTunes Radio (which works like Spotify and Pandora), new Weather app, flash light, Newsstand (can be added into a folder), new Safari browser, and more.

The iOS 7 Beta build is already seeding out to developers. Users with an iPhone 4 and higher, iPad 2 and higher, iPod Touch 5G and iPad Mini will get this upgrade, but those who don’t have the latest generation devices will only get some of the new features along with the new UI.

New OS X – Mavericks: The Mac OS X version names will now be city-based, and this starts with Mavericks, which is a California-based term. The new operating systems brings a lot OS X Mavericksof change – tabs have been introduced, through which you can tab multiple Finder Tabs for less clutter on your desktop. Mavericks also adds iBooks to OS X, as well as Tags, which are aimed for better organising of your files on PC as well as cloud. Apart from big bug fixes and performance improvements, the new OS also has iCloud keychain for password management, credit card information, etc.; new Calendar app; and interactive Notifications.

Developers are already getting Developer Preview of the new OS, and users will get this uprade coming fall.

macbook-air-11-inch-002New Mac Pro and MacBook Air: The only major hardware news to come out was of the new Mac Pro and MacBook Air. The new Mac Pro comes with the brand new Haswell ULT chip, and boasts a stylish, cylindrical chassis. It is smaller than the previous Mac Pro, and will start shipping later this year. It comes with dual GPUs, new thunderbolt ports, can handle three desktop monitors, and is capable of playing two 4K videos at once. The new MacBook Air, Apple claims, gives a 12-hour battery life without any performance hiccups. While not many Apple users have them, Apple also introduced AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule with 802.11ac support.

(Pictures courtesy www.onlinegadgetstore.com, www.foxnews.com, www.technobuffalo.com, www.technobuffalo.com)

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Do

Things to do in Mumbai today

This Saturday promises to be a fun ride if you like serious cinema, curating architecture or just talks on creativity.
by Medha Kulkarni

It’s been raining and probably will over the weekend, but that shouldn’t stop us Mumbaikars from enriching our minds, should it? Especially today, when three wonderful events are being held in the city.

If you’re inclined towards cinema, or architecture or just like to hear others talk about the serious work they do, today is a good day for you.

Once upon a time in Nagaland

children from nagalandIndia Foundation for the Arts is organising an informal conversation with animation filmmaker Aditi Chitre and primary school teacher Seno Tsuhah about their work with the children of Chizami, Nagaland, followed by a discussion with Sumana Chandrashekar, Programme Executive, IFA, about the organisation’s various programmes.

Aditi believes that visual art in Nagaland has not been encouraged enough either in the classroom or at home. She received an IFA grant to conduct experimental storytelling and illustration workshops for 12 children from Chizami village. This created a liberating environment in which the children could express themselves in new ways. The workshops culminated in two exhibitions and a book of illustrated short stories. Seno Tsuhah also works with North East Network, a women’s rights organisation since 1998 as a team leader in Nagaland. She has been involved in community mobilisation, organising, capacity building and advocacy on issues related to livelihoods, environment, peace building and women’s rights. She was one of the core members of NEN that has built the NEN Resource Centre in Chizami, providing a creative learning space for the community.

The event is free and open to all, but seating will be on a first-come-first-serve basis, at False Ceiling Gallery, 111 Bungalow, Dr Ambedkar Road, next to Pali Village Cafe, Bandra (W). Contact Jigna Padhiar at 9619842954 for details or get more information here. The event starts at 6 pm.

Artisan tales

film screeningIn 2001 an earthquake shook the foundations of Kutch, Gujarat. While accompanying a team of volunteers in their relief efforts, Neha Gandhi (founder of Matsya Crafts, Mumbai) was exposed to the age-old handicraft tradition of the region; its depth, beauty and sheer vibrancy shook her to the core and thus was born Matsya Crafts.

Matsya crafts is a unique organisation with a commitment to rural art and craft. The main goal of the organisation is to preserve, revive, and expand the rich tradition of rural handicrafts by working closely with artisans, helping them develop quality products that appeal to contemporary tastes buds. Furthermore, it is also actively engaged in such projects as organising craft tours, undertaking craft documentation and organising film screenings to educate as many people as possible about the beauty of rural art and craft.

One such film screening is being organised today at the Matsya Studio. Tanke Bole Che is a documentary film that has been made by and about the artisans at Kala Raksha, Kutch, in collaboration with Nina Sabnani, an animation film designer, and seeks to educate the viewer about the life and work of these artisans in a fun manner.

“It’s a powerful yet beautiful film and it is incredible how these simple artisans have used their strengths and embraced technology to harness this medium of communication,” says Neha.

Entry is free and open to all. The screening will be followed by an informal Q&A round where viewers can address their questions to Neha. The event will be held at Matsya’s Juhu Studio. Get further details here. 

Curating Architecture

MoMAThe Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, helmed by Tasneem Zakaria, has organised some wonderful events and talks in the recent past and the one today promises to be an excellent one as well – a lecture on’ Curating Architecture as Critical Practice – From Independent to Institutional Contexts’ by Pedro Gadanho (Curator of Contemporary Architecture at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York) will be organised  at the museum today at 6 pm.

Established in 1932, MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design was the first curatorial department devoted to architecture and design ever created in a museum context. From its inception, it has built a collection that today includes 28,000 works ranging from large-scale design objects to works on paper and architectural models. This collection is also the main platform from which many of the Department’s exhibitions are organised, so as to offer the public new interpretations of modern and contemporary architectural production. In this lecture, Gadanho will confront this institutional vision with the notion of a critical practice of curating architecture.

The lecture will be held in the Origins of Mumbai Gallery at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. Tea will be served at 5:30 pm, followed by the lecture at 6 pm. The lecture is free and open to all, but if you plan to attend, do RSVP with the event organisers by email at ccardoza@bdlmuseum.org.

(Pictures courtesy www.elizabethannedesigns.com, www.kohimaeducationaltrust.net, www.centralpark.biz, www.indiamike.com)

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Tech

Coming soon: A digital explosion

The Internet is truly set to explode, with number of connections in India expected to surpass 380 million by 2017.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Our country is truly a haven for Internet service providers. Not only do we have a staggering number of existing connections, we are set to have about 35 per cent more in four years.

As per a report compiled by YES Bank in association with ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) titled Driving Growth in New Media, “Growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 35 per cent, the total number of Internet connections in India is expected to surpass 380 million by year 2017, from the current level of 168 million.”

The report attributes this phenomenon to “the mobile revolution [that] is being spearheaded by increasing sales of mobile devices and smartphones, as well as the rapid adoption of Android and 3G services.  Soon to be launched technologies such as 4G will allow mobile phone users to surf the Internet, video conference, download music, video and other content at a rate several times faster than 3G services.  It will offer services such as high-definition mobile TV and video conferencing, super-fast access to high definition (HD) video streaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos and much more – all of which should further fuel the growth of mobile adoption and media consumption.”

The study further reveals that wireless connections will comprise nearly 90 per cent of all connections added over 2012-17.  “There are over 1 billion users worldwide on sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.  As per the data, the number of social media users in urban India reached 62 million by December 2012, and it is estimated to reach 66 million by June 2013,” the study says.

These audiences largely consist of the youth segment and it is no surprise then, that digital advertising is capturing a larger share of ad spends.  Given the cost effectiveness of this medium in reaching the target segment and the increased measurability offered – companies are allocating increasing amounts of their ad budgets for the digital medium, points out the study.

The recent explosion of social media platforms has been their gradual adoption by content creators. Social Media is fast being recognised as a powerful brand management tool for targeted engagements with the consumer and is an essential marketing tool which provides valuable feedback mechanisms.

With its low cost and increasing adoption by the youth, content creators can engage and develop relationships with the younger audience while marketing content more effectively. These innovative content delivery mechanisms enable content to generate incremental digital revenue streams.

Additionally, a lot of popular film songs and scenes are now released first over the Internet medium as a teaser campaign. “Content creators are leveraging upon the interest garnered from pre-release social media campaigns to not only generate word-of-mouth publicity but also to use the traction and hype generated as a bargaining tool for better realisations from music, satellite, distribution and other ancillary revenues streams,” adds the study.

(Picture courtesy crackingtipsntricks.blogspot.com) 

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Tech

The best phones under Rs 30,000

A follow-up on our ‘Under Rs 15,000’ story lists the best smartphones available for a little bit of extra cash.
by Manik Kakra

If you look around the gadget world these days, you’ll see that a lot of smartphones are being launched left, right and centre, with hefty price tags attached. Sure, these are the most current launches, but phones which have been launched last year surely provide value for money if they are running on the latest OS with sufficiently good hardware. So, here’s a list of smartphones to get for a good on-the-go experience.

Nokia Lumia 720Nokia Lumia 720; available for around Rs. 18,000
If you are looking for your first Windows Phone device without spending a lot, this is the device you should be eyeing (in pic on left). With its solid build quality, an impressive 6.7 MP rear camera, and a decent 4.3-inch screen, this phone packs just what you need from a Nokia WP under Rs. 20,000.

LG Nexus 4; available for around Rs. 25,900
This Nexus phone was launched just a while back in India, and is definitely a good phone for those looking for a plain Android experience – with no bells and whistles on top. The device is suitable for those who want latest Android updates, and are not ready to compromise on build, quality and looks.

Samsung Galaxy SIII; available for around Rs. 26,000
This smartphone has been one of the best-selling smartphones ever. Not a surprise, considering that the phone packs in so much, and has got a lot going for it under Rs. 27,000. It has a great 8 MP camera, a bright 4.8-inch 720p screen, and is soon going to get updated to Android 4.2.

HTC One X; available for around Rs. 30,000 HTC One X
This is one of the underrated phones from last year (in pic on right). It has got the best screen from any phone that came out last year, and that is saying a lot. With its top-notch build quality, decent camera, and good looks, this one surely deserves to be in your list while choosing an Android phone.

Apple iPhone 4S (16 GB); available for around Rs. 33,000 (an exception here)
Yes, I know this phone goes above our Rs. 30,000 mark, but it has been included for a few imperative reasons. First, the phone runs one the latest iOS versions. Secondly, its camera can still give the latest smartphones a tough run. And, if you don’t know already, its crystal clear screen and design will surely get heads turning; so many users won’t mind stretching their budget a little to get this Apple device in their pocket.

Also read: The best phones under Rs 15,000

 

Have you recently purchased any of the above smartphones? Write to Manik in the comments section below and tell him about your experience with the new phone.

(Pictures courtesy www.nokia.com, blog.laptopmag.com, www.droid-life.com)

Categories
Event

National Scrabble Championship comes to Mumbai

Are you a fan of the word game Scrabble? Register for this event and have the time of your life!
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

If you’re a fan of words and love to play Scrabble, you really should check this out – a national scrabble competition!

Fans of word game Scrabble are invited to participate in an engaging battle of words spread over three days this month. The Bayer Group in India, in association with The Mumbai Scrabble Club and Scrabble Association of India, will hosting the Bayer National Scrabble Championship 2013 at Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana on May 24, 25 and 26, 2013. T

The tournament consists of 26 rounds and will follow the Australian draw format for the first 13 rounds, followed by King of the hill format for the remaining 13 rounds. There are two divisions – Premier (SAI rating 1250 and above) and Open (SAI rating below 1250 and unrated players). The words source is Collins Scrabble Words 2012.

The Championship, in short:

– To be held from 9 am to 7 pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, ie May 24, 25 and 26, at Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana, near Khar subway, Santacruz west.

– Players with SAI rating between 1000 to 1250 can opt to play in the Premier division. If the number of players is odd in the premier division then the highest rated player in the open division would fill in the last slot of the premier division.

– The winner would qualify to represent India at WSC 2013.

– Participants are requested to bring their own scrabble board, tiles and clock to the venue.

– Participants reaching the venue after 9.30 am would not be allowed to participate in the tournament.

– Register in advance to participate. Register on mumbaiscrabbleclub@hotmail.com or mumbaiscrabble@gmail.com, or call Ramachandran on 9892471327 or Bhushan Pradhan on 022-27721317 to register.

– Registration fees are Rs 1500 for SAI Members and Rs 1700 for Non-SAI Members, and includes lunch, tea  and snacks for all three days of the tournament.

(Picture courtesy scrabblehelp.biz)

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Do

Never too old to sketch

That’s what drives the landscape and portrait sketching workshops for adults at the NGMA, with some Rabindranath Tagore thrown in.
by Medha Kulkarni

Summer time is vacation time. There are a plethora of all kinds of workshops and events for children. But what about the adults? Why isn’t there ever a hobby class or summer workshop for adults?

This summer, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is set to right this wrong by organising workshops specifically for adults. As a part of The Last Harvest exhibition curated by noted art historian Prof R Sivakumar to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore on May 8, 2012, the workshops aim to provide a hands-on, practical insight into Rabindranath Tagore’s style of painting and his use of mediums and their execution.

The workshops start with a tour of the exhibition, and a discussion on the works before splitting into two separate art workshops. The portrait-sketching workshop will be conducted by Parul V Mehta and the landscape sketching one will be conducted by Geeta Kapadia. Both Mehta and Kapadia are practising artists and have exhibited in galleries in India and abroad.
The interactive sketching workshops will open up a new avenue through which Tagore’s works can be studied while highlighting the importance of portraiture and landscapes in his works. Aside from the sketching lesson, participants will also gain a detailed understanding of Tagore’s humanistic qualities and his various achievements in the field of arts in India and internationally, juxtaposed with little-known facts about his personal life and family, glimpses of which can be seen in the works.

The workshops will be held at the NGMA every Wednesday from May 8, 2013 to June 5, 2013 from 11 am to 1 pm. The workshop is free and open to all although seating is limited (20 people per session) so it’s best to register beforehand. You can email Parul at parulvmehta@gmail.com to register. All sketching materials will be provided to the participants.

 

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